Unable to import annotations

irisimas
Hello, I have recently started using Zotero and have encountered a problem. I usually underline PDFs with Adobe on my tablet, but when I go to import the highlights and annotations I have made, the 'import annotations' option is greyed out. What should I do? Thank you very much.
  • martynas_b
    Underline annotations cannot be imported currently.
  • irisimas
    And highlights/annotations?
  • martynas_b
    Yes, highlight annotations should be imported without any problems.
  • irisimas
    Okey, but they are locked. How can I unlock them if the 'import annotations' is greyed out?
  • dstillman
    The lock icon just means that they're external annotations — i.e., embedded in the PDF file rather than imported into the Zotero database. The import option shouldn't be grayed out if there are external highlight or note annotations in the file. If you're saying it is, can you email the PDF in question to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?
  • irisimas
    Thank you for your answer!
  • wmarcos
    Hello!

    I'm struggling with the same issue. Trying to import to zotero highlights that I did in Zotero previously. Is there some way to import annotations since this thread?

    Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    There always has been (see above), so you'd need to say more.
  • wmarcos
    Hi there.

    Ok. I have a file that highlighted a while ago in Zotero. Now annotations appear with a lock icon and I can't edit them or delete them.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u7300019/6flsp1yy6s1c9kj3u996.png

    After reading threads about it in this forum I tried option "File" -> "Import Annotations..." and nothing happened so I opened the developer console to see if there was a error that I will leave here.

    "[JavaScript Error: "Worker 'import' failed: {"existingAnnotations":[{"id":"EXCTF8M2","type":"highlight","position":{"pageIndex":3,"rects":[[42.721,378.674,256.458,387.983]]},"comment":""},{"id":"PTC3FTPP","type":"highlight","position":{"pageIndex":12,"rects":[[90.33,425.492,331.634,434.979]]},"comment":""},...
    },"comment":""}],"error":"{\"fileName\":\"chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/pdfWorker/worker.js\",\"lineNumber\":23836,\"columnNumber\":6,\"message\":\"rawAnnot is null\"}"}" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/pdfWorker/manager.js" line: 287}]"

    I can send you the PDF file and the complete error file.

    Does this help? let me know if you need anything else to understand the issue

  • adamsmith
    Submitting an error report ID (https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_problems#provide_a_report_id ) and sending the file to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread would be helpful, yes. Just post the error report ID here, don't try to export/copy any of the error stuff yourself.
  • wmarcos
    Sure

    Report ID: 600781096

    Sending the file through email.

    Thanks!
  • martynas_b
    @wmarcos, we will attempt to ignore this error during the annotation import process. However, the primary concern remains as to why the PDF contains invalid annotations. Could you also provide the original PDF file that has not been exported from Zotero to determine if that's Zotero fault or not?
  • wmarcos
    Yes

    Sending the original file through email.

    Let me know if you need anything else.

  • martynas_b
    @wmarcos I've analyzed both of your files and still can't reproduce anything that might corrupt the PDF annotations. Do you recall using any other viewer to modify, delete, or create annotations in the PDF?

    Also, did you export them from the Zotero client or the iOS app?
  • wmarcos
    Hi! Thanks for the reply.

    I might have used Zotero on my ipad I guess. But no, no other software for highlights that I can recall using. Maybe something to add is that I did the first highlights a long time ago, July of 2021 aprox. So probably a very different version of Zotero.

    The procedure to get the PDF file from the Zotero iOS app was: right click over the PDF file -> "Show file" and dragging it to the email for attachment.

    I took the file from my Desktop Zotero app on my macbook (iOS) (I use macbook, ipad and ubuntu clients).

    Does this information help?
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